The One Hundred and Seventy-Seventh Service.

OPENING HYMN OR CHANT.

Minister.

EXTEMPORANEOUS PRAYER

Minister and Congregation.

THE LORD'S PRAYER.-Matt. vi. 9-13.-Our Father.

The true church.

The asso

ciation of equals.

A royal

BIBLICAL READINGS.

SUBJECT: THE TRUE CHURCH.

And Simon Peter answered and said, Matt. xvi. Thou art the Christ, the son of the living God.

And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock will I build My church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

16, 18.

Which is the church of the living God, the 1 Tim. iii. pillar and ground of the truth.

15.

Matt.

And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in xxiii. 9, 10. heaven. Neither be ye called masters: for

one is your Master, even Christ.

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is

neither bond nor free, there is neither male
nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

Gal. iii.

28.

Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a 1 Pet. ii. priesthood spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer 5, 9, 10. up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by

Jesus Christ.

The repre

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvellous light.

Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained

mercy.

Therefore let no man glory in men. For 1 Cor. iii. all things are your's.

Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the
world, or life, or death, or things present, or
things to come all are your's.

And ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's.
Now ye are the body of Christ, and mem-

sentative bers in particular.

of Christ.

For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones.

Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.

21-23.

xii. 27.

Eph.v. 30.

Col. iii. 11.

3.

Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to 2 Cor. iii. be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in flesh tables of the heart.

The object Christ also loved the Church, and gave Eph. v. of Christ's Himself for it;

love.

The dwelling place of the Spirit.

That He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,

That He might present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

25-27.

Now therefore ye are no more strangers ii. 19-22. and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are

THE TRUE CHURCH.

567

built upon the foundation of the apostles and
prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the
chief corner stone; In whom all the build-
ing fitly framed together groweth unto an
holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also
are builded together for an habitation of God
through the Spirit.

DOXOLOGY.

For of Him, and through Him, and to Him, and all things: to whom be glory for ever. Rom. xi. 36.

Congregation, Amen.

Now to Him that is of power to stablish you according to My gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith: To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Rom. xxi. 25-27.

Congregation, Amen.

Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Eph. iii. 20, 21.

Congregation, Amen.

Che One Bundred and Seventy-Eighth Service.

BIBLICAL READINGS.

SUBJECT: THE PROGRESS OF THE CHURCH.

The early church. And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty.) Acts i. 15.

Pentecostal success. Then they that gladly receive his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. Acts ii. 41.

And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved. Acts ii. 47., vi. 4.

The first fruits of ministry. And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women. v. 14.

Acts

And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a a great company of the priests were

the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them. And there was great joy in that city. Acts viii. 5, 8.

And they, when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, and preached the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans. Acts viii. 25.

Gentile additions. Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons. Acts x. 34.

And the apostles and brethren that were in Judæa heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God. Acts xi. 1.

And the hand of the Lord was with them and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord.

And much people was added unto the Lord. Acts xi. 21, 22, 23, 24.

obedient to the faith. Acts vi. 7. Then Philip went down to And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch. Acts xi. 26.

For Further Progress of the xv. 3. xvi. 4, 5. xvi. 10-13. 18-20. xxviii. 30, 31.

Church, read Acts xiii. 44, 49.

xviii. 7-11. xix. 1-7. xix.

read Acts
xv. 25, 26.
xxi. 27-32.